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I’m trying something new… I’m taking part in this year’s Bloggiesta. Which I suppose is what the whole event it about; getting out of your blogging norm and accomplishing your goals. I’ve seen the twitter chats going on and always wondered what it was. I randomly stumbled on a participating blog yesterday and finally figured out what this event is. Apparently, for those who are like me and don’t know what it is, Bloggiesta is a blogging marathon where we all get together and help each other out. There will be mini challenges throughout the event that will help push you to get your blog where you want it. We will set personal blogging tasks for ourselves, but it’s also a great way to try new things with the help of other bloggers. Ever wondered how that blog does that cool blockquote thing or how they get those related posts at the bottom of each post? Well, Bloggiesta is the time to ask around and get the help you need to get the look you want, as well as being a great way to meet and chat with other bloggers. I for one am really excited to take part in this event. Sure, I comment on blogs and may chat here and there on twitter, but I’m kind of a shy person. So, taking part in something this big will be a great way for me to get out of my comfort-zone of solitude and push me to be more outgoing in the blogging community.

My goals for Bloggiesta:

Clean up broken links from the blogger->wp switch… from 2 years ago

Clean out Bloglovin feed of inactive blogs

Check out past mini-challenges

Participate in at least 2 mini challenges during Bloggiesta

Participate in all #Bloggiesta Twitter chats

Organize Goodreads TBR list

Delete/Archive ebooks from my devices that I’ve already read or no longer plan to read

I’m excited to be hosting the Lucky Shamrock Giveaway Hop. Not only because I love St. Patrick’s Day and everything shamrock related (I am Irish after all), but because it’s a fun way to have a giveaway as well. I don’t know about you guys but I get tired of jumping through hoops to enter a giveaway that’s part of a hop. So I decided to start my own hop where all you need is a little luck on your side to win. 😉

There are a lot of interesting sounding books out there that either take place in Ireland, have Irish characters, are written by Irish authors, or simply have a beautiful green cover. So, I’ve decided I’m going to give the winner their choice from the books listed below.

It’s almost time to break out the green and do a little jig.

St. Patrick’s Day is on it’s way!

Penguin announces READ PINK® 2014 campaign in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month and I couldn’t be happier to share the participating authors and titles with you guys. But first, here’s a little bit about READ PINK®.

Today the scientific community has left behind the “one-size-fits-all” breast cancer treatment to emerge with targeted, more effective therapies. As a result, after remaining stagnant for more than 50 years, the death rate from breast cancer has decreased by 30 percent. The Read Pink®initiative by Penguin Random House is proud to be part of this exciting new chapter in the fight against breast cancer, supporting the bold research of The Breast Cancer Foundation®while leveraging its passionate readers to help increase awareness and education about the disease. This literary embrace of a life-saving cause has resulted in nearly 1.5 million best-selling novels shipped with Read Pink seals and information about BCRF across all five years of the promotion.

Penguin Random House is thrilled to partner once again this year with BCRF, as 91 cents of every dollar spent by BCRF is directed towards breast cancer research and awareness programs.

The $25,000 donation that Penguin Random House contributes, regardless of sales, provides vital funds to support the mission of BCRF.

In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month and Penguin Random House’s Read Pink® editions, we are featuring a few participating authors and what Read Pink® means to them…

Memorial Day, 1938

Lily Dane has returned to Seaview, Rhode Island, where her family has summered for generations. It’s an escape not only from New York’s social scene but from a heartbreak that still haunts her. Here, among the seaside community that has embraced her since childhood, she finds comfort in the familiar rituals of summer.

But this summer is different. Budgie and Nick Greenwald—Lily’s former best friend and former fiancé—have arrived, too, and Seaview’s elite are abuzz. Under Budgie’s glamorous influence, Lily is seduced into a complicated web of renewed friendship and dangerous longing.

As a cataclysmic hurricane churns north through the Atlantic, and uneasy secrets slowly reveal themselves, Lily and Nick must confront an emotional storm that will change their worlds forever…

“Every life lost to breast cancer leaves behind a hole that can never be filled again: a wife, a mother, a sister, a friend, an aunt, a grandmother. I’m so grateful for organizations like The Breast Cancer Research Foundation for their efforts to find a cure for this devastating disease, and honored to support breast cancer awareness, detection, and research through Penguin’s READ PINK program in 2014. With your help, we can move closer to the day when breast cancer leaves behind only survivors.” -Beatriz Williams

Eleanor Murray will always remember her childhood on Edisto Island, where her late father, a local shrimper, shared her passion for music. Now her memories of him are all that tempers the guilt she feels over the accident that put her sister in a wheelchair—and the feelings she harbors for her sister’s husband.

To help support her sister, Eleanor works at a Charleston investment firm during the day, but she escapes into her music, playing piano at a neighborhood bar. Until the night her enigmatic boss walks in and offers her a part-time job caring for his elderly aunt, Helena, back on Edisto. For Eleanor, it’s a chance to revisit the place where she was her happiest—and to share her love of music with grieving Helena, whose sister recently died under mysterious circumstances.

An island lush with sweetgrass and salt marshes, Edisto has been a peaceful refuge for Helena, who escaped with her sister from war-torn Hungary in 1944. The sisters were well-known on the island, where they volunteered in their church and community. But now Eleanor will finally learn the truth about their past: secrets that will help heal her relationship with her own sister—and set Eleanor free….

“Since 1989, death rates from breast cancer have been decreasing due to earlier detection and improved treatment because of the efforts of organizations like The Breast Cancer Research Foundation. Books have always been an important part of my life, and I am honored that my book will be part of Penguin’s Read Pink program that supports breast cancer awareness and research through reading. It is my greatest hope that through efforts like this we might find a cure within my lifetime.” – Karen White

A champion boat racer, Cameron Quinn traveled the world spending his winnings on champagne and women. But when his dying father called him home to care for Seth, a troubled young boy not unlike Cameron once was, his life changed overnight…

After years of independence, Cameron had to learn to live with his brothers again, while he struggled with cooking, cleaning, and caring for a difficult boy. Old rivalries and new resentments flared between Cameron and his brothers, but they tried to put aside their differences for Seth’s sake. In the end, a social worker would decide Seth’s fate, and as tough as she was beautiful, she had the power to bring the Quinns together—or tear them apart…

“To all the moms and daughters, wives and sisters, lovers and friends, Read Pink is here for you and yours. Help support breast cancer awareness and the strong, brave women who fight or will fight this disease and Read Pink in October.” – Nora Roberts

Tragedy has struck the Harrigans—Quincy’s beloved sister-in-law Loni is gravely ill and nearing death. Quincy, like his brothers, feels helpless to save her, and the clock is ticking. Then, with perfect timing, a winsome red-haired woman named Ceara O’Ceallaigh mysteriously appears on Quincy’s property and insists that Loni can be cured. Only Quincy, she says, as the sole remaining Harrigan bachelor, can make it happen—by marrying Ceara.

To Quincy, Ceara is a charming and quite likely deranged spinner of dreams who can’t prove she’s telling the truth. But how can he pass up any attempt to restore Loni to health? Against all better judgment, he decides to marry Ceara. Maybe he’s making the worst mistake of his life. Or maybe he’s opening himself up to possibilities that defy explanation…and will send him on a miraculous journey toward enough love to last forever.

“I am so delighted to be included in the Read Pink campaign again this year with Perfect Timing being featured, along with so many other great books, to raise funds for breast cancer research. I can remember when a diagnosis of breast cancer was often equivalent to a death sentence. Nowadays, the survival rates have increased greatly, and I personally know women who have prevailed over this terrible disease. Sadly, I’ve also known a few women who lost the battle. So I call upon all of you to join ranks with me and countless other women in a war to defeat breast cancer. ‘Read Pink! Buy books bearing the Read Pink logo as gifts for the women you love.’ By standing together as sisters, we have it within our power to make a huge difference!” – Catherine Anderson

The death of her friend and mentor, Evelyn Ballinger, brings psychic counselor Gwen Frazier back to the small town of Wilby, Oregon, and brings back memories she would rather forget. Two years ago, a killer stalked the members of one of Ballinger’s research studies—including Gwen, who survived while two others didn’t. Now, she’s sure that Ballinger’s death is related.

Sent by a friend to help Gwen, psychic investigator Judson Coppersmith arrives in Wilby barely in control of his own talent and his own life, and haunted by urgent dreams. His attraction to Gwen is primal, but there are secrets he must keep to protect himself from surrendering to her completely, even as their investigation draws them into dreamscapes, into decades of deception and into the paranormal fires of a desire too strong to resist…

“This is the time of year when we celebrate the progress that has been made in the battle against breast cancer and acknowledge the work that lies ahead. No, we aren’t there yet. There’s a long way to go. The greatest weapon we have to fight this disease is research and research costs money. That is why this breast cancer awareness campaign is so important and why I am proud to participate.” – Jayne Ann Krentz

Almost seven years after losing her husband in Iraq, Hannah Abbott Guthrie isn’t sure she’s ready—or able—to move on, but the attentions of a lifelong friend are making her think about it for the first time. The memory of the sweet kiss she shared with Nolan Roberts hasn’t strayed far from her thoughts, but she also fears that pursuing something with him would mean betraying her husband’s memory.

Nolan has loved Hannah for years, but he’d been giving her the space she needed to heal from her devastating loss. Now, when an opportunity arises to show her how he feels, Nolan can’t resist, but he knows earning her love will take more than a kiss. Somehow he has to prove to Hannah that finding love twice in a lifetime is possible—and well worth risking her heart.

“I’m so thrilled to be part of the Read Pink effort to help raise awareness and funding for breast cancer research. I hear frequently from romance readers who tell me my books and those of other romance authors have helped them get through breast cancer treatment. I want to hear from fewer of them in the future. I want to hear they took our books on fabulous vacations rather than treatments. Please Read Pink in October to support all the courageous women fighting this disease and to fund critical research. Thank you for Reading Pink!” – Marie Force

Full List of 2014 Participating Authors:

Jojo Moyes, The Last Letter from your Lover

Karen White, The Time Between

Nora Roberts, Sea Swept and The Witness

Jennifer Chiaverini, Mrs. Lincoln’s Dressmaker

Beatriz Williams, A Hundred Summers

Wendy Wax, While We Were Watching Downton Abbey

Catherine Anderson, Perfect Timing

Marie Force, I Want to Hold Your Hand

Janet Chapman, The Heart of a Hero

Lisa Gardner, MacNamara’s Woman

Jayne Ann Krentz, Dream Eyes

Mark your calendars and remember to join in the conversation with @BerkleyRomance and @PenguinGroupUSA on Twitter in October. Make sure to use the hashtag #ReadPink!

For more information about the Read Pink initiative and to view a complete list of the participating retail outlets, please visit penguin.com/readpink.

Looking for a fresh start, Peyton Clark becomes the proud owner of a piece of New Orleans history: an Antebellum-era two-story house in the Garden District. It’s going to take time and a fat wallet to restore the fixer-upper to its former glory, but after her recent divorce, Peyton could use the distraction.

It’s not long before Peyton discovers she’s moved into the haunted home of a flirtatious paranormal prankster. She’s receiving kisses from unseen lips and caresses from a ghostly hand, and soon she begins to have vivid dreams, bringing her face-to-face with the incomparably handsome ghost of Drake Montague.

When Peyton grows closer to her general contractor, Ryan Kelly—who is as charming as he is alive—the chill in the air could only suggest Drake’s jealousy from beyond the grave. But even though she’s definitely attracted to and interested in Ryan, Peyton also can’t get Drake out of her dreams, or her heart, as she begins to uncover the frightening truth behind his death a century ago…

Every moment, every lifetime, every decision—including her choice to erase—has led Maryah to this.

Two outcomes are possible: an infinite happy-ever-after with her kindrily or the final severing of her relationship with Nathan.

Closer to the enemy than ever before, Maryah unravels the diabolical plan that Dedrick has been manipulating into place for centuries. Revelations, secrets, and lies surface faster than Maryah can process. She doesn’t know who to trust, what to believe, or how to save her loved ones from the desolate future Dedrick is so close to executing.

Guided by an enigmatic raven-haired prisoner, Maryah fights body and soul to save Nathan, her kindrily, and countless others. But is her love strong enough to alter a prophecy written in the stars?

I’m a twisted little pixie who dances down rabbit holes and rides shooting stars while playing a never-ending game of “Imagine If…” Then I write about my impossible and fantastical musings and call myself an author. Ahem, aspiring author.

Born and bred in Baltimore, frolicked and froze in Colorado for a couple years, currently sunning and splashing around Florida. I go wherever life (and my imagination) takes me.

Sixteen-year-old Emme Belrose has it all: four best friends, a horse of her own, a hidden tepee hangout, and a blossoming romance with tall and handsome Charlie. These friends also have a secret. They can move their spirits into animal bodies: an osprey, a mustang, a grizzly, a mountain lion and a coyote. But when Charlie, who has a gift for seeing the future, has a vision of Emme drowning in the icy Yellowstone River, the Spirit Warriors must train their animal bodies to kill an enemy they know is coming… but know nothing about. Suspenseful, romantic, and awash in Native American magic, Spirit Warriors captures the tragic enchantment of the American West—and confirms the power of friendship.

Hunters of the supernatural, the Execution Underground are an elite group tasked with protecting humanity…but at what price?

As an exorcist, David Aronowitz grew up the target of demonic assassins. Now he’s a member of the Execution Underground and hellspawn everywhere fear his name. But when a demon slips into the seductive body of the only woman he’s ever loved,

David must confront the heartbreak of their past to save her. The piece of her heart Allsún O’Hare gave to David so long ago left her trapped between two worlds: the Fae and the human. And when David comes to her rescue, fate reunites her with her greatest temptation—and her biggest mistake.

Now, as they’re swept together into a wicked game with the demon who controls her, David must decide if saving Allsún’s life is worth sacrificing his own—and the future of humanity itself.

Kait Ballenger is a full-time paranormal romance author, wife, professional bellydancer, and graduate student living in Central Florida. SHADOW HUNTER, the debut prequel of her sexy paranormal romance series, the Execution Underground, about an international network of supernatural hunters who fight to protect humanity alongside the powerful women they seduce, releases in an anthology titled AFTER DARK along with NYT Bestselling author Gena Showalter’s novella THE DARKEST ANGEL in July 2013.

I’m super excited to be hosting my very first giveaway hop. There’s just something about St. Patrick’s Day that gets me excited every year. It has nothing to do with the excessive drinking that most people associate with St. Patrick’s Day, but more the fact that everything and anything remotely related to Ireland comes out of the woodwork. I love the color green and if I had to choose a favorite shape (if there is such a thing) it would be a shamrock. My dream vacation is to explore Ireland and visit all the amazing castles and of course going to see the Blarney Stone. So it makes sense that St. Patrick’s Day is my favorite holiday of the year. I get to break out all my green clothes, hang all my shamrock stuff and blare some Irish tunes without looking like a crazy person.

It’s time to get to the good stuff! I’m giving away winners choice of any book from the following books/series below. The winner will be able to choose ebook or paperback (as long as Amazon ships to your country).

Any book from the Iron Druid Chronicles
By: Kevin Hearne
Genre: Urban FantasyGoodreads

Atticus O’Sullivan, last of the Druids, lives peacefully in Arizona, running an occult bookshop and shape-shifting in his spare time to hunt with his Irish wolfhound. His neighbors and customers think that this handsome, tattooed Irish dude is about twenty-one years old–when in actuality, he’s twenty-one centuries old. Not to mention: He draws his power from the earth, possesses a sharp wit, and wields an even sharper magical sword known as Fragarach, the Answerer.

Unfortunately, a very angry Celtic god wants that sword, and he’s hounded Atticus for centuries. Now the determined deity has tracked him down, and Atticus will need all his power–plus the help of a seductive goddess of death, his vampire and werewolf team of attorneys, a sexy bartender possessed by a Hindu witch, and some good old-fashioned luck of the Irish–to kick some Celtic arse and deliver himself from evil.

Any book from the Goblin Wars series
By: Kersten Hamilton
Genre: YA FantasyGoodreads

Teagan Wylltson’s best friend, Abby, dreams that horrifying creatures—goblins, shape-shifters, and beings of unearthly beauty but terrible cruelty—are hunting Teagan. Abby is always coming up with crazy stuff, though, so Teagan isn’t worried. Her life isn’t in danger. In fact, it’s perfect. She’s on track for a college scholarship. She has a great job. She’s focused on school, work, and her future. No boys, no heartaches, no problems.

Until Finn Mac Cumhaill arrives. Finn’s a bit on the unearthly beautiful side himself. He has a killer accent and a knee-weakening smile. And either he’s crazy or he’s been haunting Abby’s dreams, because he’s talking about goblins, too… and about being The Mac Cumhaill, born to fight all goblin-kind. Finn knows a thing or two about fighting. Which is a very good thing, because this time, Abby’s right. The goblins are coming.

New York Times bestselling authors Maeve Binchy and Marian Keyes top an impressive roster of the Emerald Isle’s most popular women writers as they celebrate the joys and perils of love and the adventure and constancy of female friendships.

In Maeve Binchy’s “Carissima,” an ex-pat returns to Ireland and shakes things up for her family, who finds her free spirit scandalous. In “Soulmates,” by Marian Keyes, one woman’s relationship is so bleedin’ perfect that it’s driving her friends crazy. In Cathy Kelly’s “Thelma, Louise and the Lurve Gods,” two women on a madcap Stateside road trip encounter a pair of insanely good-looking men….These fabulous stories and a baker’s dozen more prove that when it comes to spinning a good yarn, the Irish are the best in the business.

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About Me

Hey, guys! I'm Kristin and I love reading all things romance. My reading preference changes based on my mood but if it's got a smidgen of romance in it, I'll read it. Outside of reading I'm a huge animal lover, I love to cook, and I'm currently teaching myself to knit. I love to chat with other readers so feel free to add me on any of my social media platforms.